Profiling each of the Canes' eight draft picks

CHICAGO - The Carolina Hurricanes made eight selections over seven rounds at the 2017 NHL Draft. Here's a quick snapshot of each pick with quotes from the Hurricanes Director of Amateur Scouting Tony MacDonald, Executive Vice President and General Manager Ron Francis and the prospects themselves.

1st Round, No. 12: Martin Necas, C, HC Kometa Brno (Czech)

MacDonald's take: "He's a skilled player who can skate. He competes very hard. He's a 200-foot player. For a European player, he plays with some edge, and you have to like that. He plays with the men in the elite league in Czech. He was a very good player there and had a very strong playoff with a championship team. Looks like he'll probably return there for another season next year possibly, and that will be a good thing for his development. In a couple of years, we feel that he'll be a guy who will be able to come in and challenge for a spot."

Francis' take: "We got a guy that we think is highly skilled with good speed, skill and hockey sense. He plays with a bit of an edge. I talked to a lot of teams, and they had him real high on their lists, so for us to get him at 12, we're excited about that."

Necas on being drafted: "It's one of the best moments of my life. I'm really glad to be here and be in a great organization like Carolina."

Necas on his game: "I think I am a typical playmaker. I like to play a two-way game. I think I am a very good skater, and I need to work on my strength and being stronger."

Necas on Prospects Development Camp: "I'm really happy and thrilled to be in a great organization. I will go to Carolina, and it will be my first time there. I'll enjoy it."

MacDonald's take: "He's got size and skill. He can skate and shoot the puck. At this stage of his development, he's playing with the men there. It can only enhance his game and make him a better player as he goes forward. We're pretty excited about this guy."

Francis' take: "He's a little bit of a dark horse or sleeper, but Joni Pitkanen and Robert Kron felt real strong that this is a guy who has strong upside."

Luostarinen on familiarity with the Canes roster: "I know Teravainen and Sebastian Aho. They're great players, so I'm happy to be with them."

Luostarinen on his game: "I like to play with the puck a lot and share the puck. I'm a playmaker."

Luostarinen on who he models his game after: "I like watching Pavel Datsyuk play. He's so smart and does great things with the puck."

MacDonald's take: "He's a big man. He's a good skater. We think he's got more offensive dimension than he's shown now. You could call him a big shutdown defenseman at this point in time, but he's more than that. We feel that he's got some offense in his game. I think that with the new coaching staff taking over in Michigan, I think they're looking at Luke to take on a leadership role. I think he's looking to embrace that, and it will certainly enhance his profile as a player."

Martin on being drafted: "It's pretty surreal. It's a fun experience. To be here with my family and friends and share it with people close to me, it's a really good experience."

Martin on his reaction to hearing his name called: "Just a big smile. I think I'll be smiling for a long time. It's a good opportunity for me to work my tail off and try to make a name for myself in this organization."

Martin on his biggest asset: "My defending abilities. I make really smart, sound decisions. I have a really grounded defensive game."

Martin on who he models his game after: "I really like Brent Seabrook, a lot of what he does. His defensive shutdown abilities, and he's able to add in offensively. He has an edge, and he's also a leader. I try to emulate him on the ice as much as I can."

Martin on Michigan teammate and fellow Canes prospect Jack LaFontaine: "I was talking to Jack about how crazy it would be if we got to go to development camp together, so I'm excited to give him a call after this."

MacDonald's take: "Another guy who's got good size. There was been some questions about his skating, but we don't think they're really that valid. He skates pretty well. He's a player who's been through a draft, but he had a 90-point season on a pretty good team. He made a major contribution to their offensive effort. He's a very reliable player at both ends of the ice. He plays a 200-foot game. He's a player who his teammates look up to."

Francis' take: "A big centerman with 90 points. He went through the draft last year, and we thought he was worth taking a shot on."

MacDonald's take: "He's a big guy who plays a heavy game. He skates and shoots the puck, but he's a tough guy to play against. We need some of that in our lineup. We need some of that in our organization. He's going to bring that. He gives it 100 percent every night."

Mattheos on being drafted: "It's an unbelievable feeling. It's a great day for my family and myself. I'm so happy that I was selected to such a great organization in Carolina, and I'm really excited to get started."

Mattheos on waiting to hear his named called: "It was a bit nerve-wracking for sure. Hearing my name called was really special. My family has been huge in this, and it was a big day for all of us and not just me. I'm really excited.

Mattheos on what he knows about Carolina: "I've heard great things. I think there's a bright future, and I want to be a big part of that. I remember their Cup run when they beat the Oilers." (And how old was he then? "5 or 6," he said.)

Mattheos on who he models his game after: "I think the guy I can compare myself to is Blake Wheeler. We play pretty straight lines and compete hard. I can shoot or pass, and I think I'm a two-way player."

MacDonald's take: "Joni was really high on this guy, and Kron was high on this guy. He's a big goalie. Very athletic and very quick. He challenges the shooter. A player that, as goaltenders go, we had him higher on our list than probably most teams because our people knew him better than most. We're looking forward to getting him into camp and getting a look at him up close."

MacDonald's take: "Shutdown-style guy. He's a big man who skates pretty well. As well as having that size and ability to defend using his size and reach, we feel there is a little more un-tapped offensive dimension there in his game. He's evolving. Another player who has been through a draft, but we're looking for hockey players. We don't mind if a guy has gone through once; it doesn't mean he's not a good prospect."

Francis' take: "He's big, 6-foot-5-plus, but he can skate and do a lot of good things. The last half of this year was strong for him. Guys were excited about that."

MacDonald's take: "The boys were in my ear about this guy all day long. We thought we could get him later because he is an under-the-radar guy. He's a great, tremendous skater. Explosive. A player who will put up big numbers, similar to (Miro) Heiskanen who was drafted very early in the first round. Another guy who Joni is very excited about, and so is Robert Kron. We hope we got a steal on this guy in the seventh round like we got with Frederik Andersen."